Definition

Engineering Manager - Behavior

Applied Compute

Applied Compute

Software Engineering, Other Engineering
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Posted on Mar 6, 2026

Location

Sunnyvale

Employment Type

Full time

Department

Self-Driving Systems

Hear from an Engineer:

About the role

  • As an Engineering Manager on the SDS Behavior team, you’ll lead a world-class group of engineers focused on building and deploying scalable behavior systems for cars, trucks, mining & construction, and offroad applications

  • You will own the architecture and delivery of a next-generation system, focusing on state-of-the-art behavior in complex environments across diverse ODDs. This opportunity includes driving critical architectural and business decisions, partnering with customers, mentoring and building high-impact teams, and owning a significant portion of our autonomy stack with significant contract value and business opportunities

At Applied Intuition, you will:

  • Drive the overall strategy, technical roadmap, and architecture for behavior planning dedicated to L2 and L4 autonomous vehicles for cars, trucks, mining & construction, and offroad

  • Guide the design and implementation of robust, safety-critical algorithms for various driving domains, including urban streets, highways, dirt roads, and diverse environmental conditions

  • Grow and manage a team of world class engineers in the field of behavior systems

  • Evolve the architecture to achieve the final goal of an L4 end-to-end stack

  • Work cross functionally with other teams, including Perception, Research, Simulation, and Vehicle Operations, to ensure the robust and efficient integration of the behavior software stack

We're looking for someone who has:

  • 5+ years of experience in robotics or autonomous systems, with a focus on behavior systems

  • Experience in two or more of the following: behavior planning, decision making under uncertainty, path planning, motion planning, probabilistic reasoning, prediction, machine learning, trajectory generation, mapless driving, end-to-end autonomy stack

  • Demonstrated ability to architect large-scale, production software for real-world robotic or automotive systems

  • Proven leadership experience managing engineering teams, setting goals, and overseeing technical projects

  • Strong communication and problem-solving skills

Nice to have:

  • Direct experience working in end-to-end autonomy

  • Hands-on experience building ML-driven and rule-based behavior planning (and their interplay), intent detection, or risk assessment modules

  • Demonstrated success in applying machine learning and AI processes to complex decision-making frameworks for autonomous vehicles

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $204,000 - $343,000 USD annually.